Once upon a time... no, that’s not it.

Ugh. I’m so stuck. I have a story to write in an hour (because I’ve procrastinated, but that’s not the point), and I can’t even think of a first line! Shit.

Um... okay, so the story has to be about a girl in the Great Depression...

Man, I should have paid attention in class. The bus goes over a bump and the rubric falls into the water. Bigger shit. I need to turn that in with my story.

I pick it up after someone steps on it. A big muddy footprint makes it impossible to read. All I can read is factual accuracy.

Hmm... the Great Depression... What was that again? A mass suicide? Yeah, okay. I’ll do that. A mass suicide.

Now for the first line...

“Anna! Get your lazy — down here!”

“Coming, Mom.” I dragged my feet hopelessly down the stairs. Another day. What’s the point?

The only hope is a cause. They call it the “Great Depression”. It’s either therapy or suicide, and either way, I’ve got to get to it. My mom sends me off to school with no food and I turn the wrong way, heading for GD headquarters.

I push open the door.

“Hello? I want to sign up.” A man appears out of nowhere.

“Do you know who we are?” He rasps. I jump.

“Dude. Can you not? Where is everyone?”

“Preparing.”

“For what?”

“The Great Suicide.”

“Ooh, me too.” The man hands me a gun.

I take it, and he starts counting down.

“5...4...3... 2... 1... GO!” Me and him shoot ourselves at the same time.

Okay, that’s good enough, I hope. I walk to class to find the teacher making an announcement.

“Due to... circumstances, the story is due tomorrow.”

Well shit.